Mintz relocated to Oregon to raise his 6-year-old son, and for members of his family, a silver lining came in the fact that he was able to escape from the carnage at all. Mintz’s aunt, Wanda Mintz, told CBS that the former military veteran was shot three times while blocking the doorway, and another two times as he called out for his son.
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According to the Douglas County Sheriff John Hanlin the gunman, later identified to USA TODAY as 26-year-old Chris Harper Mercer as per a federal law enforcement source, was shot and killed during an exchange of gunfire with officers at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg.
Mintz spent most of Thursday in surgery after the attack.
He’s one of seven wounded in the shooting at Umpqua Community College that left 10 dead, including the gunman, Chris Harper Mercer.
On the internet his blog documents an interest in mass shootings including a recent post about the gunman who killed two U.S. journalists live on air in August.
A photo was posted to social media of a smiling Mintz recovering in the hospital, who is expected to be ok. “Mintz” cousin Derek Bourgeois set up a GoFundMe page to help pay for his ensuing medical bills. He was struck in the back, abdomen, and hands and broke both of his legs, she said. Facebook Mintz, 30, was attending classes at UCC to become a full-time fitness trainer, his family said.
“This is Chris’s friend, Chris asked me to thank everyone for their support, he is grateful and keeping our community and all victims in his thoughts”.
The Daily Beast also reported that Mercer said on that profile that he was living with his parents and searching for the “yin to my yang”, according to KNX 1070 NEWSRADIO.
In an interview with ABC News, the younger Mintz said: “I just hope that everyone else is OK”.
“He said he wished he could have saved just more people”, Bourgeois told The Seattle Times.
Several other people were hurt, including 30-year-old Chris Mintz. Mercer also died following a shootout with police.
“The ones that were shot, that’s one level of trauma”, she said at a news conference Thursday.
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Knowing that Mintz is a dad makes his act so much more touching.
